What happened to road trips?

I agree with you. We do road trip because we stop at random stuff. Like one time to California we stopped at points along Route 66 and the grand canyon. The only thing is these things really aren't planned and we just do it on a whim. My last trip to WDW we stopped in Baton Rouge and got Beignets (sp?) for my daughter (which took us about 20 miles off course) and other stuff like that. We do make it into an adventure. I know people like you mentioned where they drive straight through and that isn't any fun. We stop and take in the sites even if they aren't necessarily worth seeing :)
This is why we've had good luck with flying into an area and renting a car. I can plan the trip so we do no more than 250 miles a day and enjoy the road tripping without huge distances to cover in any one shot. We did a trip where we flew to Detroit, went up into Canada, did Niagara Falls, went down south of Nashville with lots of stops along the way and looped back up. We hit 10 states, visited two family members and one old friend, and spent time in many cool places without ever driving too much in one shot. If we're on the West Coast, we tend to drive and do longer shots to get to a destination, but I love the real road trip vibe of simply exploring a new place. When we are both retiree we may do longer road trips from home, but for now flying in saves time and is worth it.
 
I'm also planning a road trip from Austin to Orlando. In what city do you like to stop for the night midway? Thanks!

Usually somewhere near Biloxi, MS. There are some nice hotels in the Biloxi area. We stayed at the Hard Rock Casino there. Most of the time on the way we drive in the evening to Beaumont, then drive to Tallahassee, then arrive by lunch to Orlando.

This is why we've had good luck with flying into an area and renting a car. I can plan the trip so we do no more than 250 miles a day and enjoy the road tripping without huge distances to cover in any one shot. We did a trip where we flew to Detroit, went up into Canada, did Niagara Falls, went down south of Nashville with lots of stops along the way and looped back up. We hit 10 states, visited two family members and one old friend, and spent time in many cool places without ever driving too much in one shot. If we're on the West Coast, we tend to drive and do longer shots to get to a destination, but I love the real road trip vibe of simply exploring a new place. When we are both retiree we may do longer road trips from home, but for now flying in saves time and is worth it.

I can see that. For us the cost is high because we have three kids and we need a big cat and then buying 5 plane tickets car get expensive quick. That is partly why we drive.
 
The only transportation I'll agree to be in for more than 5 hours are planes, trains, or cruise ships.

Flying is the best, you get to skip over the worst parts of the country.
 


Love a road trip. Our home base in WV is great for driving. DC (6hrs), Philadelphia (7hrs). NY (9hrs), Chicago(8hrs) Atlanta (8hrs) and Orlando (12hrs) to name a few.
 
Love a road trip. Our home base in WV is great for driving. DC (6hrs), Philadelphia (7hrs). NY (9hrs), Chicago(8hrs) Atlanta (8hrs) and Orlando (12hrs) to name a few.

I would love that. We need 6 hours minimum just to leave the state here in Austin.
 


Families are also smaller, on average. I'm one of 4 so flying was pretty much out of bounds cost wise. I have an only child so it really isn't a big deal to fly compared to driving. We only drive places that are reasonable to get to within several hours.
 

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